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An Se Young’s superior control, movement, and ability to deliver in key moments proved decisive as she secured a comfortable win.
PV Sindhu has now lost nine matches to An Se Young. (PTI Photo)
PV Sindhu’s wretched run against world’s top-ranked An Se Young continued as she was knocked out in the quarterfinals of the Singapore Open Super 750 badminton tournament on Friday. Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medallist, did show glimpses of her attacking prowess and occasionally put the Korean under pressure before succumbing to a straight-game defeat.
An’s superior control, movement, and ability to deliver in key moments proved decisive as she secured a comfortable 21-17, 21-14 win in their one-sided rivalry.
This defeat extended Sindhu‘s winless streak against the reigning Olympic champion to nine matches. In all those encounters, the Indian has managed to take a game only once at the 2023 Badminton Asia Championships.
The task was always a difficult one against an opponent who has lost just once this year, having suffered only four defeats across the entirety of 2025, further highlighting the Korean’s dominance on the world circuit.
Sindhu began with clear attacking intent, using powerful smashes and early interceptions to try and control the rallies. She was trailing 7-11 at the mid-game interval in the opening game, but fought back to 13-14 through a series of aggressive returns and sharp attacking shots.
Her proactive approach kept her in touch, but An’s strong net play and ability to absorb pressure allowed her to reassert control. Sindhu reduced the deficit to 16-18 with a body smash and a round-the-head winner, and then claimed the longest rally of the match to move to 17-19.
However, an untimely wide shot gave An three game points, and the Korean sealed the first game when Sindhu pushed another return long.
The second game started poorly for Sindhu, with An racing to a 6-0 lead. The Indian gradually settled, narrowing the gap to 6-8 with a smash winner, a long return from An, and a net-touch fault from the Korean.
An quickly rebuilt her cushion and went into the interval leading 11-7 after a precise cross-court winner left Sindhu stranded.
After the break, Sindhu responded aggressively and stayed within reach at 11-14 before winning a demanding 30-shot rally to close the gap to 12-14.
But a few errors at crucial stages stalled her progress. As her attacking accuracy dipped, she slipped to 13-18 and found it increasingly difficult to handle An’s sustained precision.
The Korean continued to stretch her around the court with sharp placement and exceptional retrieval before earning seven match points. She converted on her second opportunity when Sindhu’s return drifted long, sealing her place in the semifinals after a 48-minute contest.
With PTI Inputs
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